Dance with El Diablo
by basketcse
Summary: This is my first Halloween tale. It's an AU Babe hea, sort of. A mish-mash of a couple movie themes. You know I like those. It is funny and then very evil and angsty before the end. I warned you. Don't grouch to me later! Cupcake and Helen neutral.
1. Chapter 1

These are not my characters. They belong to the author Janet Evanovich and thank you for letting us borrow them and run with our fantasies.

**A/N - This is my first Halloween ditty. It is a kind of Babe and has a weird hea. That's all I'm saying. You know how I like movies. There is some similarity to the movies, "Big and Rosemary's Baby" from way back.**

**This is funny and then very angsty. So, I'm warning you. It is a twisted and scary story! Mwa..ah..ah.**

Special thanks to alix33 who is doing the beta work. You are great!

**Dance with El Diablo**

**Chapter 1**

It was a perfect fall day in October and we were cruising northeast of Trenton on Princeton Avenue in my used Honda Civic. The sun was shining and the leaves on the trees were multicolored and at their peak before Mother Nature shakes them off the trees. We were headed to an area where some local farms and markets are located and a popular Fall Festival was taking place. Lula and I had gotten word from a source that one of our skips was working the festival, so we thought we would graze through the food stands for lunch and have some fun before picking the guy up.

Lula rubbed her hands together. "Girl, I can't wait to sink my teeth into a scrapple burger."

"Gross."

"What you mean by that? You know that open-faced grilled Spam sandwich you had at the fair not long ago? Same thing. Just, this is fresher and don't come out of a can. Comes straight outta' the…?"

"No, no, no! Don't you even say it. I'm hungry."

"What you gonna' get?"

"Mmm..I think one of those big Italian sausage sandwiches. You know the ones where they soak the sausage in beer and then they put all those grilled onions and peppers on top with the olive oil dripping juicy goodness."

"That does sound good. I want to try that bacon dipped in chocolate. Sposed' to be like a little orgasma' on a stick."

"Then I'll take multiples." I snickered at my own joke.

Lula actually rolled her eyes at me and then snickered too.

We pulled into the parking lot at the festival and headed straight to the food vendors. We got our greasy sandwiches and sodas and sat down at some picnic tables. We were looking around and watching people.

Lula asked, "Where we supposed to find this pecker?"

"His name is Richard Pecker."

Lula snorted soda and grimaced. "What's the dude's nickname?"

"Don't know."

"Dick Pecker, Dicky Pecker, Rick Pecker, Rich Pecker, Ricky Pecker, Richie Pecker…"

"Lula..?"

"That boy should smack his Momma and his Daddy for namin' him that. Probably why he's in trouble. Messed up in the head from bein' tortured 'bout' his name."

I said, "He's a flasher."

"Huh..hun. Got his little ass whooped every day on the playground. Probably pulled his pants down too. Showed his little noodle to everybody that was out on the playground. Messed him up good. Now he can't stop showin' his noodle."

"You're probably right, ..Dr. Phil, I mean Lula."

"You can make fun, but you know that I know people. Special people. Spent a lot of time with all kinds."

"Yup. I know."

We went and got some of those bacon sticks and shared an elephant ear with lots of powdered sugar and mixed berry jam. We finished and started walking around and Lula pointed to a machine and said, "Hey, look. Ain't that like that wishin' machine called 'Zoltar Speaks' from that movie 'BIG'? You remember that? I loved that movie."

We walked over to it and looked at it. "Hmm. This one is a fortune telling machine."

"This dudes name is Swami. We should get our fortune. Gimme' a dollar."

"Wha..?" I rolled my eyes and reached in my bag and pulled out a couple dollars.

She grabbed the dollar and stuck it in and the thing swallowed it up and the machine briefly lit up and the gypsy head inside moved and made a face and stopped and then it died.

She growled, "Did that fucker just eat my dollar?" Then she body slammed it and it came on again and I'm not sure, but I think that ugly face gave her a dirty look. Then all of a sudden it spit out a gold piece of paper that looked like a ticket and she grabbed it and read it. and grumbled, "Fucker...This ain't no fortune."

"What does it say?"

"Says, 'Feeding a cow with roses does not get extra appreciation or a sweeter smelling ending'."

I raised an eyebrow and grinned. "Hmm. Well, I would say that's probably true."

"He call me a cow?"

"I don't think that's what it meant."

"Gimme' another dollar."

I sighed and handed her another dollar. Lula put the dollar in and kicked the machine simultaneously. The thing lit up and made a face at her and growled and then spit the next ticket out with the fortune. She looked at it and pointed her finger at it and started cursing.

"What does it say?"

"Says, 'A friend asks only for your time, not your money'. Smart ass mofo'!"

I snorted and laughed.

She said, "Now you…"

"I'm not going to waste a dollar on this thing."

"Reach in that bag and get a dollar. We do everything as a team. We partners."

I rolled my eyes and reached in my bag and mumbled, "What we are is a broke team…" I stuck the dollar in the slot and the genie machine named Swami ate it. Nothing happened for a minute and then the inside lit up and the things eyes flamed red like fire and a wicked grin spread across its face and then it suddenly started laughing. Lula and I both jumped back and she said, "Freaky genie! I don't like this dude one bit."

Then a golden ticket popped out and I reached for it as I watched the red eyes dim and go out. We both looked at the ticket. It said, 'A handsome and dubious friend may be an enemy in camouflage'."

Lula said, "What the fuck does that mean?"

I sighed. "It means we wasted another dollar. Lets go get Pecker."

We walked around the machine to head further into the festival and I looked down and noticed that the machine wasn't plugged in. I furrowed my brows and thought that was really curious. I turned again and looked as we were walking away.

It didn't take long to spot our guy. He was working the duck fishing game booth for kids. We didn't know for sure if he was a sex offender too, so we decided to go ahead and nab him and take him with us. I walked up to him and said, "Richard Pecker, I'm a bond enforcement agent and I'm here to take you to the Trenton PD for failing to appear in court. You'll have an opportunity to...shit."

Before I even finished, he was on the move and clothes were flying. Damn. Lula and I looked at each other and took off running after him. I was digging for my stun gun as I ran and Lula pulled out her big gun and I yelled at her to put it away before somebody got hurt. His skinny ass was already down to his tighty-whities before we even got close to him and then he stopped by the 'Guess your weight' booth and turned to us and dropped his shorts. Now he was full monty.

We were temporarily stunned because he was standing there with his spindly legs and his pecker just unrolled and now it was just swinging in the breeze. It actually did look like a third leg. Lula said, "Day-um! Skinny ass white dude's built like a brother and then some, for real."

He snorted at us and started cackling and went to move and I jumped at him and zapped his ass. His skinny legs folded underneath him and he went down. By now, we had the attention of half of the festival participants and some were taking pictures of us standing next to Pecker on the ground. I sighed and told Lula to try to find his pants and I pulled out my cuffs and pulled his arms behind his back and locked them around his wrists.

She came back in a couple minutes swinging the pants and a man came running up to us yelling. "What kind of trouble are you making here? I'm calling the police."

I said, "Excuse me? We didn't make any trouble here. We did you a favor. You hired a pervert to work a kiddie booth at your festival. We're taking him to jail."

"Well, get him out of here fast. He's naked and this is a spectacle."

Lula put her hands on her hips. "No shit, Sherlock? You keep yo' pants on. He gone as soon as he wakes up and puts these pants back on."

Pecker began groaning and raised his head. More people started crowding around and the festival guy became frantic. "Just take him now. Drag him to the parking lot and dress him. Just get him up and go!"

Lula started cursing and I just nodded and we both took an arm and started toward the lot. He was awake and grouching at us when we got to my car and I unlocked the doors and opened it and Lula handed him his pants. He looked at us, grinned and turned around and bent over. Then lightning fast he farted and flicked a Bic lighter and fire erupted from his ass and caught the pants that Lula was holding out on fire. She yelped and he backed up and grabbed a leg and chucked them in my car. Where the hell did that lighter even come from?

Fifteen minutes later, we were sitting in the grass with Pecker and watching my car burn along with the one behind it and a motorcycle. Sirens were blaring from not far away now and when my car finally exploded, my phone began to ring. I went to get it and a movement caught my eye between the burning cars and I watched as the most beautiful man that I have ever seen emerged from the smoke in slow motion. He was dressed in tattered blue jeans that fit his body like a glove, a black wife beater, black leather boots and long black leather trench coat and it gently swayed and flapped in the wind behind him as he walked. His hair was black and fell in silky waves around his ears and almost to his shoulders and his face was chiseled across olive skin with striking features and his eyes were covered by a dark pair of Louis Vuitton Evasion sunglasses. He wore more than a five o' clock shadow and he was covered in loads of silver jewelry including small silver hoops in his ears that I could see as the breeze gently blew his hair around his face. He was the most breathtaking male specimen that I had ever seen and I thought I already knew the most gorgeous male on earth already. Wow. I was in the middle of a major hot flash when he walked straight up to us and stopped and then squatted.

I thought he was good looking from a distance. Close up, he was heart stopping. I instinctively pounded my chest a couple times. I think my mouth was hanging open and I'm pretty damn sure that Lula's was too because she was silent and she is rarely that. I still had one hand in my bag and he reached out and pulled my arm out and said with a silky sexy accent, "Your phone is ringing…"

Still looking at the guy in front of me, my finger automatically swiped the screen and I whispered, "Mmmm."

"Babe..?"

"Yes…"

"Your car just went offline."

Then a smile began to spread across the guy's face and I think I had one of those mini orgasmas' that Lula sometimes mentions when something is really, really good.

"Mmmm… Oh God, yes."

"Babe, that sounds familiar. Where are you?"

The silky voice spoke again. "Tell him that you are okay and tell him goodbye."

I whispered, " 'Kay. He's got this. I have to say goodbye now. Goodbye."

I heard before I threw the phone back in my bag, "Babe! Steph? Stephanie?"

Behind the guy, I saw a Kojak light and another good looking olive skinned man get out of a piece of shit car that wasn't much better than the one burning right now. He stomped over to us and said, "What the hell happened now, Cupcake?"

The man pushed his sunglasses up and his eyes flashed beautiful and almost crimson before adjusting and becoming a soft honey color and he said, "Tell him that you don't need his help. Tell him goodbye."

" 'Kay."

Lula mumbled, "Yeah. Tell him."

Pecker whimpered, "Tell em' all bye. Bye, bye. Bye, bye..."

TBC -


	2. Chapter 2

Previously -

_The man pushed his sunglasses up and his eyes flashed beautiful and almost crimson before adjusting and becoming a soft honey color and he said, "Tell him that you don't need his help. Tell him goodbye."_

_" 'Kay."_

_Lula mumbled, "Yeah. Tell him."_

_Pecker whimpered, "Tell em' all bye. Bye, bye. Bye, bye..."_

**Chapter 2**

He reached his hand out again and took mine and I felt heat flash through my body so fast I jerked like I was about to have a seizure. The man turned my hand over and rubbed my palm and looked at me with his sexy eyes and I looked up at Joe. "It was an accident. Not my fault, Joe. Nobody was killed, detective. You can go. We're still off, right?" I smiled at the handsome man in front of me.

"What the fuck are you saying?"

"We should date other people. Bye, Joe."

"Hell no! We're invested. We're practically engaged!"

"Bad investment." The man leaned into me and gently grazed my lips with his and his taste was intoxicating and he set my whole body to tingling and then I felt flames licking me in sensitive places.

"Mmmm. Oh God, yes. More..."

"Cupcake! That's what you sound like when we're in private. What is wrong with you?"

"Do I..? Kiss Bob for me."

"What the fuck? Who is this guy? Get your hands off my woman!"

The man stood and turn on Joe and said very calmly, "I think that she is saying that she no longer needs your services, officer."

Joe growled, "I don't know who you are, but you're the one that needs to leave and…"

All of a sudden Joe bent over and grabbed his stomach and ran behind a car and we heard him retching. Joe slowly walked back to us in a few minutes and looked at the guy and then down at me.

He said, "Fine, Cupcake. If this is what you want. You'll be fucking sorry when you clear the smoke out of your head."

Finally, he stomped away still holding his stomach.

The man looked down at me and smiled and said, "That's my 'Harley' burning. That was part of your misfortune?"

"Yes. I'm so sorry. It's not usually my fault. I swear."

He grinned. "Not to worry. I consider myself lucky. It is my fortune that I stopped for refreshment here. I would not have met such a beautiful and enchanting woman as yourself."

"Me? Really?"

Lula mumbled, "Wull' I ain't exactly chopped liver, handsome."

He looked at Lula and said, "Make that two beautiful women."

Lula giggled. "Ain't you a sweet talker. White girl, he just a cutie with a booty like, POW!"

Pecker said, "Yeah. I'll second that one."

I nodded. "Mmm..hmmm. He's definitely all that and a box of fries."

He stuck his hand out and smiled again. "Come, I have an alternate means of transportation."

I reached my hand up and took his and I was instantly under his spell. Oh, my. Lula and Pecker trucked along behind us like in a trance too. Pecker was mumbling.

He led us to what looked like a brand new Audi AS7 in a quartz grey. He unlocked the doors and opened each one and held them for us. Pecker got in the back and Lula got in on the other side and he motioned for me to get in the front passenger seat. The seats were black leather and the car had decorative inlays in fine grain ash dark wood. It smelled like it had just come off an assembly line. We buckled in and the guy started the engine and put the car in gear and then I saw a Porsche slowly roll into the parking lot.

I watched the Porsche park and a boot attached to a sexy black jean clad leg step out and probably for the first time ever, I turned my head away from him and focused on someone else as we drove away. The man looked over at me, "What is your name, lovely lady, and where are we headed?"

"Oh, right. I'm Stephanie Plum and we need to take Mr. Pecker to the Trenton Police Department first, please."

He smiled at me again. "I'm Lucius Beliar. I'm very happy to make your acquaintance.

"Thank you for the ride, Mr. Beliar. Do you live in Trenton?"

He turned and grinned at me. "My pleasure and call me Lucius. You could say that I'm planning on putting down roots here."

"In Trenton? Most people are trying to move out, not in."

He laughed. "I have a very good reason for wanting to stay here awhile." He turned to me and this time his eyes were darker and smoldering and the grin had changed.

We dropped off Lula at the bonds office and I gave Lucius directions to my apartment and he pulled in and parked in my lot. I thanked him and started to open the door and he wrapped his hand around my arm and shook his head. I waited as he opened his door and walked around the car and opened my door and extended his hand. I took it, noticing that it was smooth, uncalloused and well manicured. What a gentleman he is.

I was focused on him as we were walking to the building and he slowly turned his head and locked his eyes on another car pulling into my lot. He leveled a dark glare on the car and its occupant and I turned to see who it was. It was Ranger's Porsche. Lucius stopped and slowly pulled me against him and put his hand behind my neck and tilted my head back and he continued to stare at the Porsche as he took my mouth. I closed my eyes and was lost in the kiss. His smell and taste was unique and intoxicating and it was addictive and I was already hooked. When his tongue entered my mouth a small shock passed through me and it was like every memory of every kiss and touch from any other man was nearly wiped away.

When he let me go to breath again, I looked up and he was grinning in Ranger's direction. Then he took my hand and turned and led me into my building. "Which floor, Stephanie?"

I was flummoxed and had to think for a minute. "Uh..second." We took the stairs and walked to my door without me telling him which one. I opened the door and he walked in with me.

"Stephanie, would you go to dinner with me tonight?"

I said without thinking about it , "Yes."

He reached down and took my hand and dropped his car keys in it. I looked up at him. "You need a vehicle to drive. I would like to offer mine to you."

"I can't take your nice car. You don't even know me. Most of mine end up like the one you saw today."

He laughed. "I have many cars. They are just things. I would be honored if you would drive it."

"How will you leave here?"

The doorbell rang and he smiled and said, "Already taken care of. Until tonight, then. I'll pick you up at half past six."

He leaned down to kiss me again as I heard my locks tumble and when Lucius let me go, Ranger was standing in the doorway and he looked angry.

Lucius turned to him and his eyes flashed and he said very calmly, "You will cease coming into this apartment uninvited from this day forward."

Then Lucius turned and slowly walked out the door just like he had through the smoke, bumping Ranger as he went. I gulped at the look on Ranger's face.

He slowly shut the door behind Lucius and said, "Who is that man, Babe?"

"His name is Lucius. That's pretty much all I know."

"You don't know anything about him and you let him touch you and kiss you that way?"

It suddenly made me angry that he would ask me that question. While mine and Joe's relationship had continued to bleed and stagnate for the last two of the three years we had been a couple, Ranger had tortured me with his own touches and kisses. He had let me starve most of the time. He gave me only tiny bits of himself to keep me hungry for him and then when I would get frustrated and want to give up, we would have the intimate moments. He would touch me like he was actually making love to me and then he would hurt me and become distant and push me away again every single time. Even after everything we'd been through together. I was a Ranger addict and I was slowly losing myself and any hope for any kind of happy.

So, with that last thought I said, "That would be none of your concern or business, Ranger."

"I beg to differ, Babe. You are my business and I have been trying to keep you safe for a long time."

"I appreciate that. Why do you even bother if you don't want me to belong to you? I'm just curious. I feel the need for an answer to that question now."

His eyes changed. "Babe, you are my friend. I have told you before that my lifestyle just doesn't lend itself to a normal relationship. I care about you and I love you in the only way that I can. I give you my protection and I'm there when you need me."

I said simply, "Ranger, it is hard being your friend and always wanting more. I don't think I can do it any longer. I'm tired of acting like I don't feel the way I do."

I never had the guts to say what I really felt to him for fear that he would push me away for good and it would break my heart. I had always felt that a little bit of Ranger was better than no Ranger at all. Today, the words had just easily come and now they were said.

His whole face had changed now and he moved toward me like a lithe cat and pushed me against the wall, caging me and putting his hands in my hair. "I have to share you with Morelli, but I won't share you with any other man."

"I don't want to be shared and Morelli is out of the picture now. Are you stepping up to take his place?"

"What do you mean that Morelli is out of the picture?"

"We broke up for good today. We haven't had much of what you'd call a relationship either. Well, for a long time."

He pounded the wall behind me and I turned to see if the plaster was still intact.

"Ranger, I have a date. I need to go get ready now."

"What is his full name. I want to check him out."

I shook my head in disgust and glared at him.

"Time to leave, Ranger."

His blank face came down and he grabbed the back of my head and jerked it toward him for a punishing kiss. His lips demanding that I open for him and I did and even offering him my tongue. His hand slid slowly down my back to my ass and he pulled me tightly against his groin and then he started moving his hips and making small circles. I kissed him back with the same fervor and ferocity and cupped his exquisite firm butt and pressed in to him even harder. I could feel his erection growing. He let me go and grabbed my hand and started to pull me to the bedroom when I poured ice water over his ardour.

"If you take me to bed, it will be for one reason. You're choosing a relationship with me, not marking your territory, Ranger."

He let my hand go and growled.

I headed to my bedroom and turned to him at the doorway. "Just so you know, I have loved you for a long time. After Scrog and then Hawaii, I thought…" I shrugged. "Well, I was wrong." Where did my courage suddenly come from? I just told him how I really feel and he'll likely be gone for good tomorrow.

I turned and went in my room and shut the door. I was going through my closet looking for something to wear when I heard the apartment door open and slam shut.

TBC -

Warning you girls. I already told you this and I'm going to warn you again. This starts out like normal funny, but gets dark and angsty. Google Rosemary's Baby. If you are leary and continue to read the train wreck, it is on you. Don't want no grouching at me. This is a scary Halloween story...


	3. Chapter 3

**Yeah! You know what I like? I like when some of you gals stop looking at Ranger's fine _ass_ets and see the Ranger horse poop for what it is. I'm a Babe, but after reading all those books and the way JE has ruined him with his horse doo speak, I want to give him a hard time. Several of you mentioned his tired lines and I loved the guest review from last night about if the shoe fits and Steph speaking the truth about how she felt. Is that so hard JE or do you just need the drivel dollars to keep coming for a new winter home on the beach somewhere? Yuck, couldn't bring myself to give her my money for book twenty. Will use my library card and get it later. LOL **

**Chapter 3**

Having plenty of time before my date, I lit a candle and enjoyed a soak in the tub. I now had butterflies in my stomach thinking about my conversation with Ranger and the man coming to pick me up soon. I had never had enough guts or a plain old pair of cojones to say those things to Ranger. I wondered where our friendship would go from today forward. He never liked talking about stuff like feelings. He's just a _doer_ type guy. Hell, he doesn't talk much, period.

I took my time dressing and chose a nice little dress with spaghetti straps and a short jacket to go with it. I put on some leather pumps and added some fragrance and jewelry. Looking in the mirror, I felt confident. The doorbell rang as I was walking out of my bedroom.

Checking the peephole first, I opened the door to Lucius. He was extremely gorgeous in a grey fitted button down dress shirt and flat front dress slacks that fit his toned and muscular body like a glove. He was covered in silver again. But, I could tell up close that all the items were expensive and probably white gold if not platinum. His rings, earrings and his watch all had diamonds in them. It struck me that he was probably wealthy like Ranger.

He stepped in the door and kissed me on the cheek. "You look so beautiful, Stephanie." I loved the way that he said my name.

"Thank you. You clean up pretty good too, mystery man."

He grinned. "I hope not to be a stranger to you much longer." He leaned closer to me and whispered in my ear, "I want you to know me as much as a woman can know a man and soon."

I shivered and goosebumps popped out all over my body.

"Well, okay. We should go."

We walked out to my lot and a sleek black Jaguar XKR was parked right next to the door. So this guy had Ranger's thing for expensive black luxury cars and his parking karma too. He opened the passenger door for me and even buckled me in when I slid into the seat.

I was surprised when he pulled out of the apartment lot and headed toward Chambersburg and eventually pulled into the parking lot of a popular Italian restaurant, 'The Milano'.

I said, "So you know Trenton?"

He grinned. "It's in my best interests now to get to know Trenton well."

I raised an eyebrow at that and he laughed, a rich heady laughter and got out of the car and came around to open the door and took my hand.

Lucius spoke briefly to the hostess and she grabbed menus and ushered us into the restaurant and to a table at the back of the room. He moved into the curved booth until he was facing the door and took my hand and pulled me in close to him. I was struck by Ranger deja vu again. The waitress came and he ordered wine and I noticed that people in the restaurant were staring at us and some were on their phones.

Lucius turned to me and smiled. "So now that we're here, I'm hoping you like Italian food."

I laughed. "This is the "Burg'. This is like Trenton's version of little Italy. I'm from here."

"Really? I am good then. Yes?"

"Yes you are. Where are you from?"

"Originally I'm from Macedonia. It's a small country in the Balkans of southeastern Europe. I've been in the States for many years now."

I asked, "Is your family in the States?"

He beamed. "Not yet, but they are soon coming."

"What business are you in?"

He spoke slowly, "I have my own business. I'm a particular kind of..buyer."

I asked, "What kind of things do you buy, like old things, antiques, art? Something like that?"

"Yes. I buy_ precious_ things. Personal things."

His eyes became darker and then flashed that crimson color briefly. Then his eyes slowly moved toward the door and he grinned. I turned and Joe and Terri Gilman were being seated in the restaurant. I rolled my eyes. Could this be more of a non-coincidence and didn't this just prove he wasn't the guy for me. He had never brought me here, the jerk.

The waitress brought our wine and poured and we ordered our salads and dinner. Lucius ordered the charcoal broiled lamb chops very rare and I ordered the chicken salvatore stuffed with lump crab meat and fresh mozzarella. We were talking about the desserts we might share and then our pleasant dinner was interrupted by a commotion coming from none other than Joe's table. Then my eyes moved to the doorway again. Seriously? My parents and Grandma Mazur were being seated.

I whispered, "Our dinner might soon go bad. My ex-boyfriend is here with another woman and my critical parents just walked in. I just wanted to warn you. Even my friend Ranger who is the toughest guy I know hasn't taken on a situation like this."

He laughed. "What is the saying, 'I'm smarter than the average bear' and I assure you I am tougher as well. This should be quite amusing."

He poured us more wine and I blew out a breath and felt more at ease after his words and smiled at him. He pretty much took on a pissed off bull called Ranger earlier, so maybe I shouldn't worry.

The commotion at Morelli's table was obvious. He kept looking at me and Terri was getting angry. They were having an argument. Jeez, we were here first. Why doesn't he just be a man and take her somewhere else?

My mother's eagle eyes scanned the restaurant and zeroed in on me in seconds and she leveled an angry glare at me and cut off from the rest of her group and was on her way over. I mumbled, "Uh..oh. Our nice dinner is about to get really squashed now."

Then I heard this calm voice and turned, "Not to worry, my lovely, I have this night firmly in hand." Then he reached out and took my hand and pulled it to his lips and turned it over and kissed my palm. I was mesmerized and completely on fire again.

"Stephanie! Stephanie Michelle! Stephanie Michelle Plum, I am addressing you!"

I turned and looked up into my mother's angry face. "Why do you embarrass me this way! Why is your fiancé at that table with another woman and why are you here with this..this man?"

I took a breath. "Mom, we are not engaged and we broke up for good." We're both seeing other people now. Isn't it obvious?"

"You..you ungrateful daughter. We were already making plans. The wedding was going to be the talk of the entire "Burg'. The event of the year! Hell will freeze over before I make another pineapple upside down cake for you!"

I heard a chuckle and a throat clear and turned to Lucius. He rolled his eyes at my mother. "Madam, I assure you that hell will not freeze over any time soon. I have it on very good authority."

She snapped at him, "And, who are you anyway? I don't know you and you are certainly not from Chambersburg." Then she harumphed. What a perfect snob my mother was.

Lucius smiled at my mother then. "What would you give for your daughter to be**_ the event_ **of the year?"

She smirked at him and said, "If she would come to her senses and make that happen, I would sell my soul to the devil himself! Humph!"

"**Done**."

My mother and I both turned and raised an eyebrow at Lucius.

"Madam, you will be seeing quite a lot of me now. Get used to it."

My eyes turned toward the door and Ranger and a beautiful auburn haired woman came in on his arm following the hostess. I whimpered, "This is not freaking happening…"

They were walking straight for us and Ranger was staring at me with his blank face on. Then, no big surprise, they were seated at a table right next to us. He situated himself at the back of the booth angled toward me and I could feel his eyes burning into me. Then I heard my mother addressing me again, "Stephanie!"

I looked up at her. "Go apologize to Joseph right this minute!"

"No, I won't. You need to go to your own table and order your meal."

She put her hands on her hips. "I will not leave until you do as I say."

Lucius turned to her and spoke very calmly, "Mrs. Plum, you are finished here and will return to your own table now." His eyes flashed crimson and she winced and nodded and headed back to her table. Boy, he's pretty good.

Our food came and we began eating and I heard a commotion again and I looked up in time to see a plate of what looked like chicken marsala dumped into Morelli's lap and Terri just grabbed her purse and sashayed out of the restaurant. I snickered. I didn't like Terri much, but good for her. He could be a real boob sometimes.

I began to eat my dinner and it was so good. After about three bites I felt eyes on me. Lots of eyes. I looked up and Joe was swiping his dinner off his lap and glaring at me and Ranger was staring at me with his blank face, my family was staring and Lucius was beaming at me. He leaned closed to me and kissed my neck and whispered, "I love the way you enjoy your food. I wish to enjoy you in the same way, Stephanie." I felt my face heat up and a blush spreading down my body to my toes. There was a lot of heat centered at my middle section.

When the waitress came back to check on us Lucius asked me what I wanted for dessert. I said, "I love the dessert here. But, I'm not very comfortable with our audience of many."

He said, "Then why don't we order some and take it with us. Tell me what you would like."

That made me feel better. "Really? The cannoli and the homemade tiramisu is good here. Excuse me, I need to go to the ladies room."

When I came out of the stall, my mother was there. No big surprise. She pointed her finger at me, "You are making a spectacle of yourself, Stephanie Michelle!"

I was really getting tired of her tirade now. "I didn't do anything except eat my dinner. Joe and Terri were the spectacle. Why won't you just leave me alone and let me live my life!"

"You are an ungrateful and disrespectful daughter. You care nothing about anyone else, but yourself."

"What are you saying? You want me to marry someone I don't love and have babies I don't want just to please you? You don't care if I'm happy or not? That's what most normal mothers want for their daughters.''

"Joseph would make you happy and he is 'Burg'."

I turned to her and planted my feet and growled, "Fuck the 'Burg'!" Then I heard two gasps coming from two of the stalls with the doors closed. "Yeah, that's what I said! Bunch of nosy bitties."

I turned and stomped out the door and a hand grabbed me and pulled me around a corner. It was Ranger. This was getting ridiculous. "What do you want, Ranger? Why are you even dining on this side of town?"

"Babe, I don't like that man and I don't trust him. I'm pretty sure the car tags on that Audi are fake and according to my search results, his history looks fake as well."

"Why am I not surprised that you did that?"

"I care about you. Don't sleep with him."

That was it. "Ranger, you are here with your own date and I have no doubt that you'll be sleeping with her later. How can you say that to me? You don't care about me that much or you wouldn't keep hurting me. This conversation is over." He blanched and swiped his hand down his face. I turned and took a step and he grabbed me again and pulled me to him.

"One more thing. I'm sorry that I've hurt you." Then he lowered his head and gently kissed me and whispered, "I mean it. Don't sleep with him…" Then he let me go and turned and walked away. Damn that man.

I suddenly felt really tired. The excitement of the day and all this drama was exhausting. When I got back to the table, the dessert had arrived and Lucius took my hand and we headed out of the restaurant. I looked at him and watched as he turned his head in Ranger's direction and winked at him. I turned back to look at Ranger and his eyes narrowed. Men… If we weren't leaving soon, they would likely be pissing in every corner of the restaurant and marking their territory.

TBC -

I'm feeling the need to rant on JE this story. You will hear more from me.

On another note, sometimes good things happen when I have playtime with Margaret aka whymelucylu and sometimes craziness ensues and this time a seriously sick and twisted Halloween tale came out of it. Marg will put it up on Saturday I am sure so look for it. It's a short called "Here... Kitty Kitty. Check it out. It's hilarious.


	4. Chapter 4

**You guys got to read this. This is the same stupid bitch that hates Stephanie Plum and my writing and won't stop reading either. I'm pretty sure that she is the only reader that I ever blocked and I did it a long time ago so she does the guest review crap still. I am not the only writer that she has p'd off. She has changed her name on the site three times. (Either her or one other, a writer I suspect. Her grammar and punctuation is so darn good. LOL)**

**Note to reviewer - You rant the same shit every time. I repeat stupid, YOU DON'T HAVE TO READ IT, but you do need to seriously get a life woman! Try some children's books, fairy tales? Do you hate Cinderella too for getting the hot guy? You must be really green by now. Envious much?**

_**"I gave it a shot, but it's not for me. I hate Stephanie, but I can tolerate  
her with Ranger if the story's good. This is just bizarre and of course the  
Helen bashing turned me completely off. Good luck with the rest of the story  
though, I hope it turns out the way you want it to."**_

**Giving you a bonus today readers! I made you read my rant.**

**Chapter 4**

When we walked out the door, I saw two Rangeman SUVs in the lot as well as Ranger's Porsche. Good grief. Lucius opened the passenger door for me and I got in. He got in and started the car and pulled out and looked in his rearview mirror and laughed.

"Let me guess. A black SUV just pulled out behind us?"

He looked at me and grinned. "Yes. Let's have some fun." He stepped on the gas and the car rocketed forward and ran two lights and then he slammed on the brakes and turned the car sideways and headed down a side street and shot across four lanes and turned the car sideways again and headed in the direction of my apartment. I was holding on to the door handle and holding my breath. It was a good thing that I had emptied my bladder before we left that restaurant.

"So..so you're a stunt driver too?" He gave me a wicked grin and laughed.

"My driving will not bring you harm. Only your heart and soul is in danger when you're with me."

I looked at his handsome profile and luscious physique. I had no doubt that was true.

He pulled into a liquor store before we got to my apartment and told me that he was going in for some wine to go with our dessert. Within a couple minutes, there was a rap on the window and I rolled my eyes and opened the door. "What are you doing here, Lester?

"Ranger said to tell you that he's not happy. That wasn't defensive driving, beautiful, that was just plain reckless."

"Why is his business me and not his date?"

He laughed. "That's his sister."

I was stunned. "Wow. She is really pretty." I felt a little sad suddenly.

"Yeah, she's hot. That whole family looks like both of them. He said one more thing."

Thinking about it, I was really aggravated and hurt yet again that he wouldn't tell me that was his sister or even introduce me as long as we've been friends. "Don't tell me. I already know what it is. You give him a message. Now I'm hurt that he couldn't even introduce me to his family as his good friend after three fucking years. I'm done with him, Les!" His brows furrowed.

"You two really need to get real and have it out. Listen, between me and you, he's all bent out of shape about this situation. Don't sleep with this guy. You might benefit from this one."

"He doesn't want me, Les. That's the problem."

"I disagree." He looked at the liquor store door and slapped the top of the car and winked at me and turned away.

Lucius got in the car grinning. "That friend of yours is persistent. What is the story with him. Wasn't the detective your boyfriend?"

"Morelli was my boyfriend. We were more times off than on. We didn't want the same things. Ranger is my friend."

"What did Mr. Morelli want that you didn't?"

He pulled the car out and grinned again looking in the rearview mirror.

"He wanted me married, barefoot and pregnant and trapped in his damn house baking casseroles and cookies. In other words, housewife hell."

He laughed. "You don't want children?"

"Nope."

He looked at me and his eyes flashed the red color again for a second, "You **_will_** change your mind."

I turned away from him. "If you want the same as Morelli, I'm not your girl. Trust me."

He pulled into my apartment lot. "Marriage and a housewife, no. Do you bake good cookies?"

I looked at him and laughed. "I don't cook much at all. I buy my cookies and eat cookie dough ice cream."

He got out and came around to open my door. He took my hand and pulled me out and up against him. "I don't need cookies or casseroles. I only have one need and I am very easily satisfied."

He turned his head and looked at the SUV pulling into the lot and grinned as he began to run his hand down my back and to my ass and began pressing me firmly against his groin and releasing. I felt him get harder before he released me every time. The contact and the firm pressure was making me breathe hard and he kissed me with his long tongue and turned my head to the SUV and increased the speed and momentum of his grind. Before I could even stop it, I gasped, "Oh, God. I think I'm going to come..." And, we had an audience. "L..Lucius..?"

"Shhhh..Now."

"Aghhhh..Oh God. Lucius. Don't…"

He held me until the last wave of my orgasm subsided and then took my hand and led me to my apartment. The whole time, he had been holding the bags with our dessert and the wine in the other hand. Shit, what a multitasker. Ranger would be the only other man who could give a woman an orgasm while carrying groceries. I didn't even want to know who was in the SUV. However, I did want Ranger to know that I wasn't playing his game any more!

I opened the door to my apartment and turned to Lucius. I was embarrassed and upset. "I appreciate the dessert and the wine and the..you know. I have really had a long day and I'm just really tired and need some time to myself now. I'm sorry."

He walked to the kitchen and set the bags down on the counter and turned to me. "I understand. Let me take your phone and get your number and I will call you tomorrow." I handed him my phone and he smiled and pushed some buttons on both phones.

He mumbled, "I love humans and technology…" What a strange comment.

He handed my phone back and wrapped a strong arm around me and kissed me. "This was a very enjoyable evening and I look forward to seeing you tomorrow perhaps?"

"Okay. Then just call me. Thank you for the dinner and the car loan and everything today."

He gave me one of his handsome and heart stopping smiles and I wanted to whimper again.

"Stephanie, it is all my pleasure." He kissed my earlobe and then my face and last my lips and then turned and walked out of my apartment.

I was exhausted and dropped my clothes on the bedroom floor and crawled into bed. Sleep came quickly. I was having a frightening dream. There were red glowing eyes piercing me and I heard chanting and people were chasing me. They wanted me for some purpose and not a good one and I was running and I wanted to scream, but all that came out was a whimper. Hands wrapped around me and pulled me close. "Babe, you're having a bad dream."

Instantly the red eyes dimmed and warm brown familiar eyes replaced them and I sighed and snuggled into the warm body with the comforting smell and whispered, "Ranger…" I felt safe again and wrapped my arms around his neck and draped my leg over him and pulled him closer to me and drifted back into deep sleep.

My alarm went off and reality crashed into my brain at the same time that the orgasm hit me and I heard a growl and a strangled sigh. This wasn't the sexy dream I thought I was having, this was the real thing. I opened my eyes and saw Ranger's head thrown back and his eyes closing and felt the hot semen being released inside me. My first thought was, why is he here and in my bed? Then the next thought that flashed across my brain was raging rhino pissed.

I was laying on top of him and I scrambled off and away as he slid out of me still spurting hot semen. I quickly rolled across the bed and turned the alarm off. Then I covered myself with the sheet and turned and glared at him. He was just blinking at me with a surprised look on his face for giving him coitus interrupt us, I guess.

He just said, "Babe..?"

"Don't you dare, Babe me! You know I'm growing to really hate that word. I want you to use words to talk to me like most normal people do."

"What's the problem?"

"Seriously? I don't remember inviting you into my bed or for sex."

"What? I came in to check on you last night after I got word that bastard had left and you were having a bad dream. You wrapped yourself around me and said my name. I thought you knew for sure that I was here before you went back to sleep."

"I barely remember that and I thought I was dreaming. And, this morning?"

"You initiated this, Stephanie."

"I was dreaming _**AGAIN**_! Dammit, Ranger! You already ESP my mind and now you're some kind of dream whisperer? We have already talked about the sex and relationship thing. My last thought before we left the restaurant last night was that if we had stayed any longer that you two men would be marking your territory. That's exactly what you just did…"

"That's not true."

"The hell it's not! Why didn't you just piss a circle around my bed?" I reached between my legs and held up my moist and sticky hand. "Instead of this!"

"Babe, you're serious? You're really angry?"

"Ranger, I think this is the first time in our history that I am truly angry with you. I hope Les told you that it hurt me that you would have your sister with you and not introduce us after three years of friendship. Fuck yes, I'm angry!"

"I'm sorry. I should have introduced you to Celia. She wanted to meet you. My own anger was to blame."

I put my head in my hands. "We both might be sorry here. I'm not on birth control right now. I was having problems."

"Shit!"

"I would have expected a move like this more from Morelli than you. Don't worry, if it happens I'm not the type to trap a man into anything. Yeah, shit is right."

He got out of bed and came around to kneel in front of me and touched my leg. "Babe, I would never leave you alone to deal with something like that."

"Ranger, I know your love comes with a condom. Why didn't you just use it? I wouldn't come to you because I know how you really feel. Just leave, please. I really want to be alone right now."

"Babe..?"

"Don't… Your plan worked. You've successfully ruined any potential dating plans in my near future." Tears filled my eyes. "And, that is so not fair considering you don't even want me."

"Babe, I…" I motioned for him to get out of my way and stood and went to the bathroom. Fuck, I did not want him to see me cry.

When I got out of the shower and went to the kitchen, Ranger was still there. He had made coffee and even put a mug out for me. "I sighed, "Why are you still here?"

"I need to show you something." I raised an eyebrow.

He walked to my apartment door and opened it. I followed him and looked at the door.

"Shit! Just what I don't want right now. Is that blood?"

Ranger nodded. There was an inverted pentagram on my door with a goats head in the middle and little symbols on the outside and it looked to be drawn in blood. At the top of the thing and attached to the door was a weird bundle of stuff. Looked like chicken feet, an upside down white lace cross and a purple candle all tied together with some kind of stinky herbs or weeds. I grimaced at it.

"Babe, I don't like this at all. I don't want you staying here alone. Would you please come stay at Rangeman?"

"Nope. Not after what happened last night and this morning. I will not. Just tell Ram that I will call him for some firing range sessions. I got this."

"Babe, please..."

"No. Absolutely not."

He fisted his hands and sighed. "I'm going to have a meeting and see if any of my men are familiar with this type of thing, then call the TPD to see if there have been any reports of cases like this. I'll send Hector over to take some photos and bag the stuff. You can call Dillon after Hector leaves. I want Hector to install a camera above the door and one in your apartment."

He took my hand and pulled me to him and just put his arms around me and hugged me. "I don't know how to articulate what I feel when it comes to you, Babe. I want you safe and if this thing gets weirder, I'm coming to get you."

He kissed the top of my head and walked out. I watched him walk away and mumbled, "Damn that man..." At the same time my heart was saying, "No you're damned because you love that man..."

TBC -

A/N I know that I have written a similar scene with Ranger to this. It is not exactly the same or circumstances and it did fit for a purpose later in the story. What are you picking up from Ranger's odd behavior?


	5. Chapter 5

******Well hell yeah! Some of you are as frustrated as me. Have to ask, do you notice since volume twelve that JE got more sympathetic toward Morelli after she made him sort of a jerk and made so many dislike him? Now he's looking like the good guy and Ranger is the jerk. Do you think she is leading up to a final ending for a Cupcake or Babe? Poll please. I want to know your thoughts. Guest review is fine! Let it OUT! LOL**

******Also, loved all your reviews! Don't be afraid to give me the good, bad or the ugly. I don't care as long as they are constructive.**

**Chapter 5**

I finished dressing and waited for Hector. When he got there, I called my super Dillon to come up and see the mess. He told me that he had a cleaner that he thought would get the blood off the door. "He said, "Damn Steph, this is creepy with a capital 'C'."

My response was, "Yuh, it is!"

Dillon said, "Looks like some voodoo shit I've seen in movies."

Hector touched my arm and nodded his agreement with that.

"Guys, I'm really hoping it's just a sick Halloween prank from somebody that knows me."

I told Dillon that Hector was putting a camera in the hall and he was okay with it. I fed Rex and my phone chirped and I looked at the display and didn't recognize the number. It said 'el diablo' was calling. I mumbled the words and I noticed that Hector turned sharply and looked at me and then came over and looked at the display and his eyebrows furrowed and he pointed at the phone for me to answer.

"Hello?"

"Stephanie, Lucius here. How are you today?"

"I'm okay. You?"

"Very well, thank you. Did you sleep well?"

The memory of red eyes flashed and I remembered the bad dream. "I've slept better."

"I would like to pick you up this evening and bring you to my house for dinner."

I thought about Ranger and this morning. "I don't know now, Lucius. I don't know that I'm really available for dating for a while."

"Why would you say that?"

I said, "Just a complication that I need to work through."

"Nonsense. I'll be there at seven for you. We'll have dinner and relax and get to know one another."

I sighed. "Okay. See you then."

Hector puts his hands on his hips and pointed to the phone. I said, "It was Lucius Beliar. My new friend."

He screwed up his face and put two fingers on his head like horns and growled. What? Was he playing with me?

I said, "Hector, you know that I love you. I'm just really not in the mood today."

He made a face and shook his head and grabbed my phone and dialed and began speaking Spanish and waving his other arm. Then he handed me the phone.

I sighed, "Lo?"

"Babe, Hector says the devil called."

"He said what?"

"El diablo, means devil. Who was it?"

Oh good grief. "Lucius..."

He said, "That's not at all amusing, Babe. I have a bad feeling about that guy."

"Ranger, I'm not talking about him with you. Goodbye!" I disconnected. Hector and I vacated my apartment at the same time.

When I walked into the bonds office, Lula and Connie were making some kind of plans and they were in an intense discussion. Lula said, "How many black zombies you ever seen?"

I thought about it for a minute myself and I couldn't remember any. Connie had her head cocked and thinking about it and shrugged.

"You know why? Cuz' they ain't nothin' faster than a scared negro. Them zombies can't catch our asses. That's why that black dude was the last one down in that movie, 'Night of the Living Dead and it was from a bullet, not no zombie bite. Then there was that fine ass black man in 'Dawn of the Dead'. He was in it to the end too. Cuz' he was a fast motherfucker."

I raised my eyebrows. I was wondering where in the world this conversation originated.

Connie said, "That's your answer? Because all black people are fast. Where did you get that?"

"Girlfriend. It is part of our genetic makeup. Black man been around since the beginnin'. Most folks think it was the white people. Nuh..uh. People had to be dark for camouflage and they had to be fast to survive. First we was runnin' from the dinos, then runnin' across the desert to Africa. Little baked white asses woulda' burned up. Then when my black ancestors got ta' Africa, they had to run from Leo the Lion and all them fuckers with teeth. The rest is history, our asses been runnin' from somethin' or somebody all the damn time."

Connie and I were both looking at her and I'm pretty sure that she had made her point, but I had no idea why.

"So, you're fast?"

"Fuck yeah, you ain't seen a booty move like this one. Scare me and blink yo' eyes and this ass be gone!"

I blew out a puff of air and asked, "Why and how did this conversation get started?"

Connie said, "Tomorrow is Saturday and instead of a party, we want to go do this thing at a place called 'The Zombie Mud Run'. You can be a zombie or you can be a human and you have to complete this obstacle course. If you're a human, you want to make it to the end. If you're a zombie then you want to take as many humans down as possible and eat them. Mwa..ha..ha!"

Lula said, "Yeah girl. It's either eat brains or haul yo' ass. You know what I'm gonna' do."

The door opened and Ram and Cal came in. Connie smiled and said, "Hey guys. Got some files for you."

I said, "Ram, I was going to call you today about some target practice. You got any time?"

"Sure I do, sweetheart. Got some time in a couple hours. Want to meet me at Rangeman?"

"Okay. Meet you there."

Connie said, "Guys we're gonna' do this fun outdoors thing tomorrow for the day before Halloween and you and the Rangeman guys would be perfect for it. Why don't you spread the word."

She gave them the information and phone number for the place and told them that they just had to confirm which side that they wanted to join.

She said, "If you guys want to be the zombies, you have to get there early for makeup."

They were smiling and Cal said, "Oh hell yeah, this sounds like fun."

Ram said, "Terror fuckin' boot camp, man. Awesome." They fist bumped and walked out the door.

After lunch, Lula and I took down the Pumpkinhead terror of Trenton that afternoon, literally. He was naked except for the round carved out pumpkin on his head and a uh..dirty adult diaper and running shoes. Thank goodness for the diaper. Benny Wentworth was a nudist and was arrested with other local people every year at the end of their annual 'Naked Pumpkin Run'. He had been practicing like he was running any other marathon and got arrested because of complaints from his neighbors. He wasn't a bad guy. He was just pissed off because he wanted to do his thing and other people kept interfering. I sure did understand that.

We had pulled up next to him. "Hey Benny."

"Hey, it's our local celeb, Stephanie Plum! You gonna' take me to jail?"

I chuckled. "You want me to, Benny?"

"Hell, yeah!" He stopped running and we stopped the car.

I said, "Uh..Benny. This nice car is a loan. Did you have an accident in your diaper?"

He laughed. "Nah. It's dried hot chocolate. Just figured if the cops saw that, they'd just leave me alone this year. I'm just training for tomorrow."

Lula and I both laughed. "Get in Benny. We'll take care of you. Got your wallet in that diaper?"

He grinned. "Yuppers."

He slid into the back seat and we sped off to the TPD.

I dropped Lula off and headed to Rangeman to meet Ram for the target practice. I finger waved to the guys at the camera and headed to the door of the range. I was talking to Manny and Ram came in a few minutes later. Manny said, "Everybody not on duty here is going to do that zombie run tomorrow. You're going aren't you, Steph?"

I shrugged. "Well, running is not exactly my thing, but I guess since everyone is going…"

Ram asked, "So what are you going to be? Human or zombie?"

I grinned. "Not sure yet. Maybe, I'll just surprise you guys and sneak up on you." I showed them my claws.

"So, it's like that? I'll be on my guard and looking for ya' tomorrow, Steph." Manny grinned and headed to the door.

We spent over an hour on the range using not only my weapon, but some other ones that Ram suggested to test my targeting skills. I hugged him goodbye and headed to my car and my phone rang. I looked at the display and ignored it and kept walking. It rang again and I ignored it again.

When I put my car in gear to back out, there was a rap on the window. I rolled it down, but didn't bother to put the car in park again.

"Babe, you're not answering your phone and that's not alright."

"Is this about the stuff on my door?"

"TPD has nothing. Some of the men said that it sounds like voodoo or cult stuff. Satanists maybe, because it was upside down. I wanted to invite you up to have dinner with me. Put the car in park and come up."

"Sorry, I have plans for tonight. See you later, Ranger."

"Don't tell me it's with Beliar and why are you driving his car?"

"I don't owe you an explanation and we're not having a conversation about him."

His face changed and he leaned closer. "Stephanie, I do _**not** _want you seeing him…"

I smirked at him. "But, you wouldn't care if I was running back to Morelli..?"

"Stephanie, I'm not fucking around here. There is something not right about the man."

"Back up, Ranger. I'm leaving. Don't you dare come in my apartment tonight."

He looked at me like he wanted to say something and then he threw up his hands and growled and took a step back.

Damn, that man. Guess he thinks he'll just eventually wear me down and we can live happily ever after as friends with benefits. He'll leave me for months at a time and come back and just expect my lonely old ass to be sitting in my same crappy old apartment waiting for him. Not going to happen. Just because I don't want marriage and kids doesn't mean that I can't have happy and commitment most everyday.

I showered and dressed casual in jeans and boots and my leather jacket. Then I made a call to the zombie place and made my reservation for the next morning.

Lucius was on time and to the minute. He was dressed casual in jeans as well and wrapped his hand around my neck and pulled me to him for a brief hot and smoldering kiss. I swayed a little as he let me go. He could kiss really good and he left sensations that rivaled Morelli and Ranger the wizard himself. "Ready, Stephanie?" He smiled at me with those gleaming white teeth. I started to put my finger up and touch them. He had longer canines than most people.

The teeth were actually kind of a sexy feature. I pointed and said, "Your canines. You part vamp, Lucius?"

He gave me a wicked grin with smirk. "They have their purpose but, would be considered quite beneath me."

I furrowed my brows. "Lucius, you say the strangest things sometimes. Are you yankin' my chain?"

He laughed out loud. "And, you say the most amusing things. You are perfect. Come." I sighed, thinking been there and done that last night in a public display with third party bystanders. Oy...

TBC -

Hope no one was offended by Lula's conversation. I wrote her being Lula. It was meant to be funny.


	6. Chapter 6

**Ha! To the guest reviewer that referenced Lula's speech in the last chap and mentioned the movie Legend with Will Smith. True, he did end up a zombie in the end. However, I can somehow hear Lula saying, "_Well, he was the last man standing and was black which means he was fast_!" LOL**

**My reviewer that I called out a couple chaps ago PM'd me and she told me who she was and I respect her for that and I'm leaving her alone. Bad thing is that she swears the other similar ones were not her. So I got another. Crapballs. Oh well... Gotta' roll with the flow. Good for building tough skin. I was a real wimp when I first started writing less than a year ago. Even tucked my tail and ran at the first try.**

**The chapter has a bit of mushy before the creepy carnage!**

Previously -

_The teeth were actually kind of a sexy feature. I pointed and said, "Your canines. You part vamp, Lucius?"_

_He gave me a wicked grin with smirk. "They have their purpose but, would be considered quite beneath me."_

_I furrowed my brows. "Lucius, you say the strangest things sometimes. Are you yankin' my chain?"_

_He laughed out loud. "And, you say the most amusing things. You are perfect. Come." I sighed, thinking been there and done that last night in a public display with third party bystanders. Oy..._

**Chapter 6**

When Lucius and I got outside the apartment, there was a shiny car sitting right next to the door and it said "POW", at first glance.

I said, "That has to be yours and what is it?"

He gave me a wicked smile. "I thought we might need something fast tonight. It's an Aston Martin One-77. It's a rare car. Very fun to drive. I'll let you drive it back later."

"Oh, I don't know. Looks like an expensive car." He clicked the doors open and opened the passenger door for me. I slid into the seat and thought it really looked like a spaceship on the inside. When I was locked in, I felt like I was in a cockpit. Lucius backed out and pulled out of the lot and looked in his mirror and grinned.

Oh brother. "There is an SUV behind us, right?"

He chuckled. "No. A Porsche 911 Turbo I believe." I closed my eyes and groaned.

Then he put the pedal to the floor and we were outside of the Trenton city limits in just a few minutes. I knew we were going really fast, but inside the car it didn't seem like it.

My phone began chirping. I looked at the display and ignored it. It rang again and again. Just the incessant dialing told me that Ranger was angry. Lucius just looked at me and snickered each time. I hated this game and both of them were starting to get on my nerves and I was still angry about this morning, _and_ worried.

I took a breath and said, "Lucius, I'm sorry. Would you mind taking me back home, please."

"Stephanie, we are here. Just stay for dinner and I'll take you home. You haven't eaten have you?"

I shook my head and sighed. "Well, I'll stay since we're here."

He turned down a narrow and winding road and drove for a couple minutes and then turned into a drive and a large old house came into view. It was well kept with a circular drive in front, yet spooky looking at the same time. I looked over at him. "This your home?"

"No. I'm just..using it."

"Oh, renting it." He didn't respond and parked and opened the door for me.

We walked into the foyer of the house and I looked up. The staircase gradually wound upward and you could see the two upper floors and there was a huge old chandelier hanging all way down from the ceiling. The floors were hardwood and shiny and the house was very neat and well kept and decorated in the same style as the house. A man walked into the room and greeted us.

"Good evening sir. Your dinner is ready to be served in the dining room."

"Thank you Hanley." Lucius motioned with his arm and I followed _Hanley_.

He led me into a huge dining room and Hanley pulled out a chair at one end of the long table and I sat. Lucius took a seat at the other end.

I sighed. "Lucius, unless you're expecting more people, it's going to be lonely down here. I'm used to eating my meals elbow to elbow. I like company."

He laughed and got up from his chair and walked to my end and sat down on one side of me. "You are so delightful Stephanie. I enjoy you so much."

His Mr. Hanley walked in with dishes and stopped and took in the change in seating and then brought us two bowls of soup. It was pumpkin and delicious. He came back and brought two wine glasses and filled them.

Lucius asked about my job and we chatted while eating. The next course Hanley brought was steak and baked potato and asparagus spears. I looked at Lucius's steak and it was barely seared on the outside and oozed blood when he cut into. I winced at it, hoping that mine wasn't the same. He had caught that and smiled at me.

"Yours is cooked to medium. I just prefer the way mine tastes even though it is not aesthetically appetizing this rare."

"Oh."

My steak turned out to be perfectly cooked and everything was delicious. As a matter of fact, even as I drank the last of my wine, I was feeling very comfortable and very sleepy.

I said, "Lucius, that was so good that I'm really sleepy now. I'm sorry. Been a long day and think I need to call it a night."

"I'll be happy to drive you home. Just give me a minute." I watched as he left the room and I yawned.

I was having another really freaky dream. People were chanting. I opened my eyes and looked around. All these people dressed in robes were standing around in a circle looking at me and I was laying on something frigging hard. I started to sit up and looked down. Oh shit, don't people talk about nightmares like this. I'm the only naked person in the room. What do the experts say about this dream? I was trying my best to think when the chanting began again.

Somebody with one of those robes on walked up to the end of whatever I was sitting on with his head down and slowly crawled forward over me. Whoa, whoa, dude! I was getting ready to speak when the hood was pulled back and the most horrible face and red eyes were revealed and the teeth were pointed and I was about to scream when the thing suddenly entered me and my eyes rolled back in my head.

My alarm clock went off and I woke up with a start and looked around. Then I reached over to turned the damn thing off and my hands were shaking so bad that I missed the button twice. I closed my eyes for a couple minutes trying to calm myself and make sense of the anxiety and foreboding I was feeling. Remnants of another damned nightmare kept flashing across my brain. I just laid there in bed for a few minutes trying to wake up and calm myself. Remembering the Halloween thing today, I finally shook the cobwebs out of my head and headed to the shower.

I got to the zombie run for makeup and looked around. Good. I didn't see anyone that I knew and sat down in a chair. I told them to make me up as far from the person that I looked like as possible. When I got up and looked in the mirror, I was shocked and then cracked up. My friends would so not see me coming.

I ambled out of the dressing room and barely looking around as to not draw attention. I looked at the group of humans that were ready to run and a man walked up with hair hanging loose, flannel shirt and ratty old jeans and looking all farm boy and I smiled. Ranger. I would know that body anywhere. I snickered and said to myself, target acquired. Mmm..hmm, payback due.

When the pistol sounded, I focused on one man and the hunt began. I was angry at him, but could I ever_ really_ give him up? I smiled and continued. He was looking around and easily dodging the zombies. For some reason he wasn't moving forward, he was hanging back. Then I heard him say under his breath to one curly headed girl, "Stephanie!"

Oh it's like that! He thinks I'm slow and I'm at the rear because I can't hang. Oh this is so good! I'm going to nail his..excellent ass! He kept hanging back and dodging zombies and then moved forward suddenly until we all came to a refreshment station. I hid as he looked around. When we set out again, there was a barn not far up and he went in. I followed and watched as he stopped to talk to a couple of his guys. I went around back, looking for a place to get in and found a partial ladder.

I climbed the barn slats until I got to the ladder and up to the loft and then looked down. Hehe. He was still there and the guys were just walking away. He took one step and I took a breath and dropped down on top of him and bit his neck hard as soon as I made contact. He yelled out, "What the fuck?" and fell and rolled over and looked at me with surprise and then he grinned.

He said, "Good job, Babe. You look terrible." I giggled.

Then he rolled over on top of me and kissed me. "I've been worried. I was trying to find you."

It was so good to be held by him, it felt so safe. I whispered, "Ranger…"

His eyes smoldered and he picked me up and pulled me into a stall. He looked serious when he asked, "You alright?"

I smiled at him weakly. "Yeah. You're out. See you later. Have to go find some more victims." I got up to walk out and he grabbed me and pulled me back down and kissed me hard.

"Babe..? What you do to me..." I hugged him and kissed him back and then growled and bit him again. He rubbed his neck and laughed.

I pointed to his bulging zipper. "Zombies do that to you? You really like this sexy look on me, huh?" He smirked and I pushed him gently away. He tried to grab at me again and I sidestepped his arm.

"Don't make me bite you again, farm boy." I turned and did my zombie shuffle out of the barn and left him there staring after me.

I took out two more Rangemen before the zombie run was over and one of them was Manny and he was almost to the end. I left them both cursing and laughing and shaking fingers at me. They were as shocked as Ranger had been that I got them. At the end, we all said goodbye and us zombies gave our gear back and changed into our own clothes. I did a drive through for food so I wouldn't scare anyone too badly on the way home.

That night I tried to watch a movie on the scifi channel and just couldn't get into it and deal with the scary. I was about ready to just call it a night and go to bed when my phone rang and I looked at the display.

"Yo."

"Yo, Babe. You okay?"

"I don't know. I'm rattled and keep having these nightmares."

"Can I come stay with you?"

"Trying to wear me down are you?"

"I'm on my way up."

He walked in the door less than five minutes later and I smirked at him. He grinned and plopped down on the couch next to me and I elbowed him.

"You want something to drink. I'm going to make hot chocolate. I have some sugar-free too."

"Okay. Want some help?"

"No. You can find us something to watch. I tried to watch a spooky movie and I just got creeped out because of the nightmares."

I made our beverages and came back to the couch. He was sitting at the end and had shed his shoes and his feet were on the coffee table and he pulled me down and against him. I wiggled into him and put my feet up on the couch and stretched. I sighed in utter contentment. Nothing and_ nobody_ made me feel safer than Ranger.

"Still mad at me, Babe?"

"I can't stay mad at you. I have a dilemma. I'm not happy when you're not there for me. At times I feel like I probably should push you away. I just can't though, I need you in my life."

"I need you in my life. That's why I'm worried about you right now."

"I wish you didn't have all your stupid rules. I like doing everything with you. I like doing nothing like now. I like doing things in the..morning with you. Just would like it to mean more."

He chuckled. "Things?" He kissed my ear and then my neck. "How about doing things at night?"

"Mmmm..things at night would be nice too."

His hand moved under my shirt and I moaned. "You owe me, Babe. You didn't let me finish the other morning."

I elbowed him and said, "You totally deserved that. You still got your happy ending."

"Yes, but I didn't like your dismount at all. I think you should keep trying until you get it right." I giggled.

He whispered in my ear, "Lets make like there are no rules tonight. We enjoy each other like it means more."

He unsnapped my bra and moved his hand underneath to cup my breast. I reached back and put my hand to his face. "I get to be the boss? Will you strip for me?"

"Babe..?" He turned me to him and kissed my temple and smiled at me and then rubbed his thumb across my face and gave me a gentle kiss. I put my arms around him. "Ranger..." I had told him how I felt and he didn't run. Maybe I can show him Ranger style, without needing the words.

He stood up and carried us both off to bed. He did strip for me and let me explore and touch him in ways I always wanted to. We learned each other and when I asked him to love me with a condom this time, he grinned and pulled a whole box out of his coat pocket and told me that they were for my nightstand. Presumptuous much I had asked him. He did let me take control and I did pour all my feelings and my love for my sexy mercenary man into it. I think he made love to me too. At least he made me feel like he did. He was right. I would only ever need "One Ranger in my life"...

TBC -


	7. Chapter 7

Previously -

_I did pour all my feelings and my love for my sexy mercenary man into it. I think he made love to me too. At least he made me feel like he did. He was right. I would only ever need "One Ranger in my life"..._

**Warning - Creep factor rising.**

**Chapter 7**

I woke up tired the next morning, but at least it wasn't because of nightmares. I was sated and snug and wrapped in Ranger. It was Halloween today. This was usually one of my favorite nights of the year. I shivered thinking about this one. Everything just seemed out of sorts. Upside down like that damned thing on my door the other day. I felt like some dark omen had been laid on my head and couldn't shake the feeling.

Ranger was studying me and he said, "Babe, you're still feeling uncomfortable. Why don't you come stay with me for a few days."

"I appreciate the offer. I'll be okay. Nothing else has happened since the door the other day."

He sighed. "I'll come tonight then. I don't want you here alone."

"Okay. We could have something good to eat like Halloween cupcakes and watch a spooky movie."

He squeezed me and said, "You can eat the cupcakes for dessert. How about I have Ella fix us a dish of something homemade."

"I love Ella food."

"So do I." He gave me a warm kiss. "Let's go shower. I have some things to do at Rangeman. I have to make sure we have extra men on tonight for security customers." He grabbed my hand and we squeezed into my shower together. He smirked and squeezed my rear as I lathered him up with my fruity smelling body wash.

A cup of coffee and a kiss goodbye and we headed out. Ranger looked at the Audi and furrowed his brows. "Tell him to come get his fucking car when I'm here. I take care of your car needs. Come with me and you can drop me off and take the car." I nodded and got in his Porsche. I was already thinking that I didn't want it here either. I barely knew him and I just had mixed feelings about the guy after spending some time with him. Lucius was a hot guy, but he was strange. Strange in a totally different way than Ranger. Ranger gave me warm fuzzies, Lucius gave me goosebumps.

I did my normal routine when going to the bonds office and stopped at the Tasty Pastry. When I walked in, I heard voices whispering and looked around. None of the people in the pastry shop were people that I recognized. I got a half-dozen assorted doughnuts and a half-dozen cupcakes and left and went to the bonds office. When I got out of my car, I felt the same weird vibe and looked around. People were staring, but I didn't recognize any of the faces. I shivered and walked into the office.

Connie and Lula were talking about the day before and laughing. Lula had made it to the end as a human and even won a prize for being one of the first to make it through without zombie contact.

She said, "I did get my ass stuck one time crawlin' through this damn chicken wire. One of my fellow humans gave me a big push with his big hand. I liked the way he handled my ass so I invited him over and thanked him good and proper last night." Connie and I snickered.

I said, "Good for you."

Connie had been knocked out by a handsome zombie Rangeman and made out in another barn for the rest of the race and she was glowing, even her little mustache. Looks like we'd all gotten lucky last night. They each had dates for tonight and I told them that I was staying in and Ranger was coming over. I got twin eyebrow waggles at that. I wasn't in the mood for skip tracing and grabbed a doughnut and left the rest and told the girls to have a good Halloween night and that I would see them the next day.

I headed toward home and then passed the apartment building and soon found myself on the outskirts of Trenton. I was trying to remember where Lucius had made that turn and then I saw it. I drove down the winding road and then slowed at the drive and turned. I drove until I came to a circular gravel drive and stopped the car. There was nothing there except rubble. Old rubble and surrounding it was just field. I said to myself, "Please let this be another twisted dream..."

When I started to hear whispers, I put the car in gear and sped away like the devil was chasing me.

Speaking of... When I arrived at my apartment parking lot, Lucius was there and waiting for me. I parked and stepped out of the car and walked up to him as Ranger pulled in. I handed Lucius his Audi keys and he raised an eyebrow at me. "The house you drove me to the other night, it's just rubble. How can that be?"

He grinned. "Maybe you were at the wrong house." I felt Ranger behind me now.

I raised my voice. "I wasn't at the wrong house, Lucius. I can't remember coming home. Something is not right. I haven't been right since I met you."

I felt a hand at my neck and closed my eyes and groaned at the confrontation that was sure to come. Ranger stepped up beside me with his blank face locked into place. He turned and looked at my face. "Babe, you okay?"

I rolled my eyes. "Yeah. I'm going upstairs."

He spoke again, "You look a little pale. You feeling alright?"

I shrugged and turned. Lucius said, "I'll escort you up, Stephanie."

Ranger moved between him and me and said, "No. I will escort her up and you need to remove your cars from the lot and leave."

Lucius said calmly, "Mr. Manoso, I love fools and heroes. I have rid her of the fool and I can rid her of the hero. She is mine now. I can take her mind, body and...her soul." Then he laughed in Ranger's face.

Ranger's nostrils flared and his eyes narrowed and I watched as his hand moved from his waist.

I suddenly wasn't feeling good and not in the mood for this and I screamed, "Stop!"

They both turned to look at me. "You know what? I don't want either one of you here. Ranger, go back to Rangeman and take care of your business. Lucius, take both your cars and leave. Nobody owns me and I choose who I share my mind and body with and my soul is just mine. I don't like to date men with either of your attitudes." I grabbed my stomach. "I'm sorry. I'm just really sick right now. Please just go."

I ran up to the apartment and into my bathroom and horked up everything that I'd eaten in the last twelve hours. Maybe I just felt weird because I was coming down with a bug. I groaned and crawled into my bed and pulled my covers up and rolled over.

It was dark as I opened my drowsy eyes to gentle rocking and fast moving landscape. I felt so tired and I'm dreaming again and closed my eyes. Next thing I felt the gentle rocking stop and the sensation of hands reaching for me and I heard the chanting again. Jeez, I'm having another one of these freaky awful dreams. I was laid down on something hard and multiple hands reached out and pulled my clothes from me. No, Fuck. Not again.

Suddenly, I screamed as the chanting grew louder and sharp nails clawed me from my neck all the way down my front and leaving a trail of blood. What the hell? Are those chicken feet? I turned my head and saw Lucius walking toward me in all his naked glory and smiling. God, he was beautiful.

He said, "I was made a beautiful being, but looks can be deceiving. I am the master and I wrote that book. Stephanie, God is not present tonight. Behold something altogether different and greater. You are my chosen one and you have arrived at one of the seven gates to hell. You are special and have a new destiny and you are now my vessel."

"R..Ranger... I need..you. Please wake me..up."

Lucius laughed out loud. "He is otherwise occupied... He will have a new destiny as well."

He began to crawl over me like a cat licking the blood as he moved closer. He looked down at me with the blood on his face and licked my lips and then his mouth opened and his tongue split like a serpent and he flicked it at me and I went to scream. He took my mouth laughing as that awful thing slid down my throat and the first orgasm ripped through me. It wasn't just a normal one. It felt like it burst from me and was almost painful.

He raised up and sat back on his haunches and pulled me toward him and entered me slowly and then something happened and I tried to scream again and no sound came out. The pain was excruciating. It felt like claws were inside me. I tried to scream again. "Shhh..the pain will not last long and then you will experience a magnificent pleasure." He laid down on top of me then and began moving.

The pain suddenly ended and my eyes rolled back in my head and I shuddered and spasmed and it was like nothing that I had ever felt. I thought I might die from the pleasure and it went on and on until I was trying to scream again and then it was suddenly over. I heard the words, "You are the perfect vessel, Stephanie. You are mine and your mercenary will protect my progeny with his meager life." What? What is he talking about? No... Then I heard laughter. Lots of people laughing and despite the noise, I felt so tired again and closed my eyes.

My teeth were chattering and I heard a voice. "Miss, can you hear me? We've called an ambulance for you." Then I felt something being draped over me. "She's not coming around. Wonder how long she's been..?" Silence.

I opened my tired eyes and looked around and groaned. I was in a hospital. How the hell did I get here and why? I was alone and I was really weak and tired. After trying multiple times to reach the call buttons wrapped around the side of my bed, I finally managed to hit the button. In just a few seconds, a nurse ran in the door with a look of surprise on her face. "Oh my gosh, you're awake. I'll get the doctor."

What? Wait. I closed my eyes again. In about ten minutes, a man in a white coat came through the door. Doctor, I assume. He checked my vitals and sat down next to the bed. "Ms. Plum, we are so glad to have you with us again. Do you remember what happened to you?"

I opened my mouth and nothing came out.

He said, "Give her some water."

The nurse gave me some water and I sipped and tried to speak again. Nothing. I raised my hands in alarm.

The doctor said, "Don't be alarmed just yet. I'll order some tests. You've been out for a while."

I was shocked and I mouthed how long. He said, "A few days. You were originally registered as a Jane Doe. We didn't know who you were until two days ago. People from Trenton were looking for you. You had been reported missing."

I made a motion like writing and the doctor nodded and gave me a pad and pen. I wrote, "_I'm not in Trenton?_"

He shook his head, no. "You're in the Hackettstown Community Hospital. We're about 65 miles north of Trenton."

I mouthed what happened? "No one knows for sure. You were found in a ditch off the side of the road near Great Meadows, New Jersey the day after Halloween. You were on the Shades of Death Road not far from a cemetary. Did someone take you there as some kind of prank?"

I furrowed my brows and raised my hands and shook my head. "Ms. Plum, you were naked and bloody. You looked like you had been attacked by some kind of animal. We have tested and are treating you for pneumonia among other things."

I mouthed, "What other things?"

He said, "When we tested your blood, we found hepatitis C and we have been treating you for Myiasis."

I raised my hand and shook my head and mouthed. "What? How?"

"Ms. Plum, there were maggots in your open wounds. And, you may have been sexually assaulted. The police did use a rape kit when you arrived."

I wanted to scream. I was screaming. Just no one could hear me. No! What the hell happened to me? Why can't I remember? Where is my family? Where are my friends? Why can't I talk?

The doctor, said, "We'll call your family and we have another contact for you. They'll be very happy to know that you're awake now. We'll do some more tests tomorrow and then talk."

I shook my head no, furiously. I didn't want anyone to know about any of this. My mother and the Burg would tear me apart! I wrote, "_Do they already know? Family_?"

"Yes. They were here yesterday." I slumped my shoulders and sighed. Probably everyone knew I was here now and that I was attacked and maybe raped.

"You seem upset. Your family thought it best to leave you here rather than take you back to Trenton. When you were identified, it was reported in the Trenton paper. They thought you would have more privacy here." Shit. It was way worse than I thought already. My cheeks were quivering as tears threatened to fall. I didn't even want to talk further about the hepatitis and the other stuff right now. I felt shocked and deflated and just plain sick to my stomach.

He patted my hand. "We'll call and notify your family that you're awake. I'll give you a sedative so you can rest. I know you're upset and I'm very sorry."

TBC -

Shades of Death Road in New Jersey is real and creepy as hell. Google it.


	8. Chapter 8

**Nice reviews! Thank you. I know you guys are thoroughly creeped out, right? The next part is the angst and mostly depressing for poor Stephanie.**

Previously -

_The doctor patted my hand. "We'll call and notify your family that you're awake. I'll give you a sedative so you can rest. I know you're upset and I'm very sorry."_

**Chapter 8**

The next morning I heard footsteps stopping at my door and turned. Tank and Bobby were standing there. "Bomber, I'm glad you're awake. Ranger couldn't come. He got a call and he's 'in the wind'. Been gone for a couple days. We got a message to him that you were found before he left the country." Both men looked grim. Damn.

I closed my eyes. So, he did do his normal thing. He left me again after our night together and disappeared. No big surprise. I nodded.

Bobby said, "He didn't want to go and tried to get out of it. He just didn't have a choice." I just shrugged.

"He asked that we look after you," Tank said. I smiled at him and mouthed "thank you."

Bobby spoke again, "The doctor said that you couldn't speak. I'm sorry. We pressed for the results of the rape kit. There were definite signs of assault and there were bodily fluids present. There just wasn't any human DNA found." My head snapped up to him and I reached over and grabbed my pad and pen.

I wrote furiously, "_What does that mean?_"

"I don't know for sure. Just that you had traces of what they think was semen and it was not identifiable as human DNA. The whole thing is bizarre. Steph, I'm sorry. I know about the hep c too. They think you were attacked by an animal. They have been giving you rabies shots as a precaution too."

I was shocked again. Pictures of that last horrible dream and Lucius naked flashed. It wasn't an animal. "Bomber? Bomber?!" I looked up.

Tank asked, "Do you know what happened to you? Remember anything at all?" I just stared at him and made a face and then wrote on my pad. "_Just pictures like a dream in my head. I didn't get fucked by Bigfoot or the Jersey Devil, dammit! Probably just THE DEVIL. I saw human faces in the dream._"

Tank took the pad and I could tell he was trying to suppress a grin and showed it to Bobby. Bobby put his fist over his mouth. "Ranger has us looking for this guy, Lucius Beliar. We can't find him." I motioned for the pad again and wrote, "_You won't find him. I think he came here for a specific purpose and that purpose was fulfilled._"

A shiver passed through me and a look passed between the two men. Tank said, "Don't worry. We won't leave you hangin'. You're not alone." I wanted to cry at that and choked. I remembered something then and panicked and wrote again, "_OMIGOD REX!__"_ I waved it at them.

Bobby gave me a sad look. "We weren't going to tell you until we were taking you home. Ranger found him laying on his little back and he was gone the night you went missing. He took care of it for you and cleaned the cage. He knew how devastated you'd be. I'm so sorry, sweetheart."

That brought the tears and the anger. It was bad enough that someone took me from my home and hurt me, but poor little innocent Rex?

Tank walked over and kissed me on the forehead and Bobby took my hand and squeezed and they turned and walked out. The worst hurt and loneliness that I had ever felt in my life began to set in.

Test results regarding my vocal cords came up big fat question mark. There were no clear physical reasons why I couldn't speak. The doctor thought I might just be traumatized so he recommended a shrink when I got home. Fat chance of that! You go to a shrink in Trenton and you're labeled a loony.

Bobby and Lester came to get me when I was released from the hospital and drove me home. We didn't talk about anything and I didn't care. I had to tell Connie and Lula that I now had a disability and threaten Vinnie again to let me keep my job. I think that it would have given me more satisfaction in my current mood just to squeal on his perverted ass.

I continued to work with Lula as my BEA partner and my voice. Not being able to talk was sometimes a good thing when stupid buttholes wanted to come up and ask me dumb questions about my kidnapping and attack. I had been really tired and sick for weeks and then at week six, I finally stepped out of denial land and took a pregnancy test and it was positive. Fuck me.

I kept the secret and worked until month five because I just had no choice and I couldn't talk about it and because of the resentment I felt. Then the baggie clothes didn't hide the lump in the front and you can't hide a bump long from girlfriends. I had been so ill that I had lost weight and Lula and Connie had already suspected something was wrong. When they nailed me, I had to spill and face the lecturing and then I stopped doing skip tracing and asked them to please keep my secret. I lied and told Vinnie that I was ill and it had something to do with my hepatitis and I had to take time off.

I made an appointment with an OBGYN doctor in Princeton hoping that no one would find out. I had to tell the doctor about the hepatitis. I didn't know if anything could be done, but I needed to find out. Turns out that the chances were low that the baby would get Hep C if I was healthy. The thing was, I was so violently ill that I couldn't eat and I wasn't very healthy. The doctor was baffled about the continuation of the sickness, but told me it wasn't unheard of and put me on a diet of specific foods at specific times of the day to keep my blood sugar up. I bought vitamins and I was trying.

I had refused to think about that Halloween night or the flashes of memory or about Lucius Beliar. I parked it on the denial shelf in the back of my brain and made myself get out of bed every day. I would and could go batshit crazy dwelling on it.

Tank had figured my situation out after coming to see me about a job. After taking a good look at me, he had asked me point-blank if it was Ranger's. I didn't say anything or write anything and he told me that Ranger had told him to check on me often because of the possibility that I might be pregnant.

My Dad and my Grandma came to visit me and brought me food and my Dad would leave me a few dollars every visit. My mother was barely talking to me after she found out that I was pregnant. She demanded to know who the father was so she could plan a wedding. To make things easier for Ranger and me, I just told her that I didn't know who the father was. I knew Ranger didn't want me anyway and now I was diseased _and_ burdened. She and my perfect sister Valerie quit speaking to me at all after that.

Grandma Mazur became ill before spring. She danced right off the stage at the old folks center and broke her hip and had to go in a home and just never recovered. Being bedridden had just kind of sucked the spunky out of her and she said that if she couldn't live her life the way she wanted then she was ready to give up the ghost. She had made up her mind and passed not long after.

Grandma had left me and Val's two oldest daughters her entire nest egg and it turned out to be a large egg. My mother and my sister Valerie were furious. She had protected the little ones' inheritance from Val and Albert who couldn't seem to manage a dime. I gave my Dad back the money that he had secretly loaned me and then some because he deserved it and he just handed most of it off to Valerie anyway.

As the pregnancy went on, my health deteriorated. My weight continued to drop instead of going up and I was still frequently and violently ill. My doctor was concerned for me and the baby. Then during one late ultrasound, he discovered a second baby, a smaller one. Depression and the resentment set in even further and I barely left the apartment. I couldn't talk on the phone because I had no voice and even the text messages had dwindled. Seems like my friends just kind of dried up. I could tell when I ran into people that they were uncomfortable and didn't know what to say. Guess it's not really their fault.

Tank and my Dad brought me groceries and checked on me. Tank became more anxious each time that he saw me. I had asked him not to pass information to Ranger if he spoke to him and made it very clear that I would not be pursuing any kind of relationship with the man when he returned. At the same time, I thanked him for being kind and checking on me.

At just over six months I was almost totally bedridden. At just over seven months and after I had suffered in pain and agony and weighed in at a mere one hundred and sixteen pounds, I was in the delivery room having gone into labor early. I screamed as the pain ripped through me. Screams that I still heard only in my head and I had been screaming for hours and was tired. I heard the doctor say, "Nurse, record the details."

"Ms. Plum, you have a baby boy. Born June, 6 at 6:00PM."

Another stab of pain ripped through me and I screamed in my head again. Then I felt more pressure and wetness between my legs. "You have another boy. Nurse, clear his lungs, get the incubator, he needs oxygen. Administer the betamethasone, start the testing, he's severely underweight. Call the pediatrician to take over with him, stat."

A cheery voice said, "Here you go. We cleaned this boy up for you." I closed my eyes and intentionally turned my head. I was exhausted and I didn't want to see them. I was relieved they were no longer part of me. With the pain and nausea finally gone, sleep came easily.

I was staring out the window when I heard bootsteps walking into my room. I figured it was Tank or one of the guys and turned. Ranger stood in the doorway looking at me. I turned my head back to the window.

"Babe, I'm sorry that I wasn't here. This is a perfect example of why I couldn't make a commitment. When they called, I was obligated and I had to go."

I heard the steps getting closer and then he touched me and when he did, I didn't feel the warm fuzzies any longer and I pulled my hand away.

"Babe..? Are you angry?" I didn't look at him and pointed to the door.

"I'm not leaving. You do not know how hard it was to leave with you still missing. You don't know what I've been through trying to finish the mission and get back."

Fucking men. Thinking about themselves. If he only knew the hell that I've been through. I gave him the 'talk to the hand' sign.

I heard a voice say, "Excuse me, sir."

I turned again and a nurse walked over to the bed. "Ms. Plum, we have one of your sons and wanted to get you started nursing." Before I could respond to her, she laid the baby on my chest and pulled my gown down. Looking down, I noticed that the baby's skin was only slightly darker than mine and he had dark hair and was not small at all. I felt a sudden sharp pain and then his face tilted up and I saw his eyes and they were blood red and blood was in his mouth and I tried to scream. I pushed him away from me and started waving my arms and trying to get out of bed.

"Ms. Plum stop, you'll hurt the baby."

I took one step out of bed and Ranger grabbed me. He looked down at the blood on my gown and back up into my frightened face. "Babe..?"

All of my frustration, resentment and anger and fear seemed to let go in that moment and I reached out and slapped his face as hard as I could. Then I pushed him away from me and pointed to the door again.

TBC -

Okay so, did you note the birth info on the first child? Does she have a right to be angry?


	9. Chapter 9

Previously -

_I took one step out of bed and Ranger grabbed me. He looked down at the blood on my gown and back up into my frightened face. "Babe..?"_

_All of my frustration, resentment and anger and fear seemed to let go in that moment and I reached out and slapped his face as hard as I could. Then I pushed him away from me and pointed to the door again._

**Chapter 9**

He and the nurse were temporarily stunned. "Oh dear. I'll take the baby away and call your doctor." Ranger was still standing there blinking and looking at my gaunt face and shaking body.

"Shit. What the hell happened to you? You're not just thin, you look like you've been seriously ill. I wanted to be here with you and take care of you." I shrugged and pointed toward the door yet again.

"Babe, I'm not leaving you or the boys. We need to get you well and give them names and work this out."

I shook my head no really hard.

"You're not raising them alone." I glared at him and shook my head no again.

A doctor came in and asked me to get back in the bed and he looked at my breast and furrowed his brows. "The baby must have a tooth. Highly unusual, however it does occur." I sneered at him. No. The evil little fucker has fangs. I made the motion like I wanted to write. He reached in a drawer and gave me a note pad and a pen. I wrote, "_Call adoption. Don't want them_."

His brows furrowed. "Ms. Plum. I think you may be experiencing a severe case of postpartum depression. Probably due to the fact that you're so malnourished and had such a difficult pregnancy." I shook my head no.

"But Ms. Plum, have you talked to the father about this decision?" I shook my head no again.

Ranger walked over and looked down at the pad in the doctor's hand and looked up at me and glared and when he spoke his tone was level and severe.

"You will not dare give my sons away…" I made the motion for him to give me the pad.

I wrote, "_Then you take the evil little bastards and leave. I don't want to have anything to do with them or you!_" I had never seen a look of shock on his face ever until today and he threw the pad down and stomped out of the room.

The next morning, I ate my breakfast and looked in the closet and found my clothes and put them on. I grabbed my bag and walked out of the room and headed to the elevator. Behind me I heard, "Ms. Plum. Where are you going? You haven't been released. Your babies…" I waved goodbye and stepped in the elevator and took it down to the hospital entrance and walked out into the sunlight and took a deep breath. I hailed a cab and headed to my apartment. When I got there, I pulled a suitcase out of my closet and packed it and grabbed a couple of boxes of old keepsakes in the back of my closet that I wanted to keep and then took them to my car.

With Rex and my Grandma Mazur gone, there was no one left to stay here for except my Dad and he could come and visit me wherever I ended up. I left a note for the super Dillon and locked the apartment and headed down to my car and put the last bag in the trunk.

As I was getting in to leave, a sleek sports car rolled into the lot and stopped behind my car. The door opened and Lucius Beliar stepped out and smiled at me. He spoke in his smooth voice with the slight accent. "Where are you going, Stephanie?" Fear flooded me, my chest seized and my entire body chilled and I would have screamed if I had been able.

I motioned for him to go away with my hand and his face and eyes changed and then his voice snapped sharply. "No, Stephanie. You _**will**_ not leave our son. You _**will**_ stay and you _**will**_ raise him. You were chosen to be his mother and you _**will**_ fulfil all of his needs." I glared at him. Now I knew for sure that he did rape me and he killed Rex. Over my dead fucking body will I raise his spawn. I reached my hand in my bag and slowly pulled out my gun and pointed it at him.

He began to laugh and put his arms out and said, "You can't kill me, Stephanie. I can't die. Do you not understand who I am yet?"

Wanna' bet. You be the paper man and I'll do some target practice and we'll just see. I pulled the trigger just as a car screeched into my lot and Ranger jumped out. Lucius gave me a wicked grin and his eyes flashed crimson and glowed and I pulled the trigger again and again and again until I was out of bullets. Finally, Lucius fell and I dropped the gun.

Ranger slowly approached me. "Babe..? Fuck. Is he the one that hurt you?"

I opened my mouth and whispered, "Yes." Words had come out. I had my voice again. I heard sirens in the distance.

Ranger tried to touch me and I backed up and put my own arms around myself and just stared at the body.

"Do you realize that you just spoke?" I nodded looking at the ground. Maybe killing him was the reason.

He said, "You're really angry at me, aren't you?"

"I resent you, I resent him. I resent those little bastards that I didn't want that relentlessly tortured me for months. Just pretty much all around resentment going on here." I looked up at him with tears in my eyes. "I've lost so much and nobody gave me a choice..."

I heard another familiar voice and looked up. "Cupcake? What the hell happened here?"

I just looked down at the body again laying on the ground and the blood pooling around it.

Ranger said, "I think this may be the man that hurt her last October."

Morelli asked, "Is this true? He was the one?" I nodded.

"Okay. Come with me. I'm going to take you to the station and you can give your statement."

I asked, "Then am I free to leave?"

Joe looked confused. "Leave?"

"Yes. I'm going away."

Ranger spoke up. "You are not leaving! I'll get you help. Ella can help with the boys until you get better."

"Cupcake, you can't leave until the investigation is over. You just killed a man."

"Will I go to jail?"

Joe said, "That's not up to me."

"Okay. I'll go. Anywhere, but where those little bastards are, those devil spawn."

Morelli furrowed his brows and looked at Ranger.

"Jesus Christ, pal. That's harsh. I'm glad you're the one that knocked her up and not me."

I looked at both of them. "Ranger, they aren't yours, they're his and he knew it." I pointed to the body laying on the ground again.

His face changed and hardened. "You let him after…"

Anger and hurt flared and tears began to fall and I yelled at him. "Fuck you! You arrogant, selfish, ass! I didn't LET him do anything. He drugged me or something and raped me and ravaged me like an animal outside on a slab in a fucking cemetery while people in dark robes stood around in a circle and watched him do it! He gave me fucking hepatitis and left me in a ditch like rotting roadkill!"

"Fuck! He was the satanist."

I gave him a sardonic laugh and said, "You don't understand. He **_is_** Satan."

"Oh, Jesus! Cupcake, you don't look or sound so good. Let's go to the station and then get you some help."

I turned to Ranger. "You're off the hook. You can leave and go back to your neat and tidy life again. Leave the country. Go away. Run away. Disappear."

He ignored me. "Babe, he's right. You do need help. You've been through a lot of physical and mental trauma."

I snapped at him, "So you think that I'm crazy because I don't want his devil spawn? They almost killed me! I didn't ask for what you did to me either! I fucking HATE men!" It felt so damn good to yell. To finally speak.

He leveled his eyes on me and said, "I'm going to the hospital to get this sorted out." He turned to Morelli. "Will you take care of her? I'll send someone to bail her out in case she's arrested."

Joe nodded as Ranger turned to walk away.

I mumbled, "Right, back to that move. Sorry to disappoint you, but Joe is not available this time. I'm not your damn responsibility, Ranger." Ranger's back stiffened and he stopped for just a second and then kept walking.

Joe took my elbow. "Christ on a crucifix, Steph. Come on. I'll take you to the station and get you home as soon as I can. I really want you to talk to a psychologist too. You're going to need some sorting out after all this shit." Other cops and an ambulance had arrived and checked the devil on the ground and had already called the meat wagon to come get him.

My statement was taken and I wasn't arrested. The night of my attack had been well documented and an investigation would take place. My DNA was taken as I'm sure the devil, his spawn and Ranger's was as well. Joe made arrangements for me to see a shrink that works with the TPD. After, he drove me home and told me not to go anywhere. I was told that there probably would be a trial and I would tell a jury that Lucius threatened me before I shot him. Joe felt sure that I would eventually be found innocent of any murder charges if the DNA results came back positive as belonging to Beliar. I had no doubt that they would.

TBC -

A/N - Meant to make this little note in the previous chap. My Granny was so much like Edna. In her tiny town in Tennessee, she worked in a beer joint and bootlegged the hard stuff out of the back door. She loved to honky-tonk (party and dance) and carried a little Saturday night special in her purse and she shot at so many people on dares that the local keystone cops made her carry only gas pellets in it. She got her bullets taken away. LOL She had a little green Plymouth Duster with a tag on the front that said 'Swinging Granny'. She was queen of her retirement community, everyone loved her and she loved to laugh.

There used to be this show on late when I was a kid called "Rock Concert" and I was staying with her and we were watching and she said, "That music with them guitars don't sound much different than a fart to me and I don't think I could dance to a fart..." LOL She is the person I got my sense of humor from. When she got ill like I wrote Edna and couldn't do her thing and be independent anymore, she told me that she was ready to go and she went. Little old folks can just do that.


	10. Chapter 10

Previously -

_After, he drove me home and told me not to go anywhere. I was told that there probably would be a trial and I would tell a jury that Lucius threatened me before I shot him. Joe felt sure that I would eventually be found innocent of any murder charges if the DNA results came back positive as belonging to Beliar. I had no doubt that they would._

**Chapter 10**

We left the Trenton police station and were quiet on the drive back. In my apartment, Joe said, "You don't look good, Steph. I'm worried about you. You have some major physical and mental issues to work through and as your friend, I want to help. I know how your Mother has treated you. Even my mother is surprised at how cold Helen has been toward you knowing what her own child has been through. I'll ask my girlfriend Dana if she wouldn't mind making a little extra and I'll drop off some homemade food. You and Ranger?" I shook my head no.

"It was just a mistake, like a day before the other. He made it very clear a long time ago that he didn't do relationships."

He nodded. "Steph, I think he does want to help you." He grinned. "He always has and fuck if I didn't use to hate that. I'll be back soon."

"Joe, thank you. I'm really glad you have someone who really cares about you. Bet you're happy that she can cook."

He smiled and rubbed his belly. "She'll put a gut on me if I'm not careful." He reached out and squeezed my hand and turned and left.

My phone had buzzed and buzzed and my doorbell had rung plenty of times over two days. After checking my messages one time and finding that most were from reporters and my mother and Valerie, I didn't check again. News of the shooting and the births had blown through the 'Burg" like a storm by now and most calls wouldn't be of the neighborly kind, more like the harassing kind. There was no one that I really wanted to talk to. I just needed to pass the time until I could leave.

Joe had left some bags at my door filled with food and I appreciated those. I found them when I had opened the door to go downstairs and get my mail. On the third day, the apartment was quiet and I was laying on my bed and hugging my pillow when I heard my locks tumble and soft footsteps coming into the room. The bed dipped and a hand reached out and touched the back of my head.

"Stephanie, the DNA results are back." I stiffened.

"I already know the results. Please don't." Some of my anger had subsided, but I still wanted to leave those babies and Trenton.

"Babe, the tiny baby boy is ours. The other one almost killed him and it's his. He has also disappeared from the morgue."

Goosebumps stood up on my arms and I shivered. Somehow I wasn't surprised at that news. I rolled over and looked at him. "How could that happen with the two babies?"

"Two eggs were fertilized. It's a rare occurrence and they said that it had to have happened most likely on the same day or twenty four hour period."

"But, I didn't... Oh, God. He did it twice. He must have drugged me during dinner that night."

"Babe, I am so sorry that I didn't protect you better. I had two calls from security clients that I had to personally attend to that night and I tried to call you. I came as soon as I could. When I got here, the apartment was dark and quiet and you were gone. Your phone and trackers were here with your bag and I couldn't find you and I couldn't find him. I knew that something was wrong. I had my men out looking for you all night and the next few days. I tried to refuse the call for the mission and they warned me that I had no choice on this one. It was go or treason. Tank got a call to me before I left the country and told me that you had been found. Where you were found made no damn sense at all."

I thought for a minute. "You put in those cameras. What did they show?"

He said, "The film was black except for two round red orbs."

I mumbled, "Those weren't orbs, those were eyes."

"Babe, don't reject our little baby too. He's innocent and he needs us."

My cheeks were quivering again and the tears came and as soon as one fell, he gently wiped it away with his thumb and moved the unruly curls away from my face. He said, "His eyes are unusual like a dark blue and he has a sprinkling of curly hair and a perfect mix of my and your coloring. He's beautiful."

"He is? He's going to be alright?"

He nodded. "Yes. He's doing well. The nurses love him because he's such a good baby."

I would expect that from Ranger's baby. It made me sad for him that he had to come into this world the way he did. I said, "Okay. We can share him for maybe holidays or time off from school." I couldn't look at him.

He said, "What do you mean?"

"You can have custody. I'm not a good Mom. Rex died."

"That was not your fault. You won't consider living together and raising him?"

"Ranger, you were always clear about what you wanted and it is not that life. I would always be thinking about that and you would grow to resent your situation and then we would both end up miserable one day. Yeah, it was a mistake. I make tons. We'll deal." I tried to laugh and I couldn't pull it off very well.

He hung his head. "Babe, I made you think that I didn't love you and I do. If I hadn't done that, he wouldn't have gotten to you and both of those boys would probably be ours."

A sob escaped from me and I had to turn away from him.

I said, "No, Ranger. I'm diseased now too. I want to give the other one to the state. But, I can't stay after I do that. I have to leave."

He looked sad. "I don't consider you diseased because of the hepatitis C, the baby doesn't have it and Bobby said it's the mildest form and I likely wouldn't get it from you. I don't want you to leave. I want you with me and our baby."

"No can do, big guy. It won't be too comfortable for me here anymore."

"Babe, I'm sorry for all the wrong words and the times that I hurt you. I made a big mistake."

I choked at that. "Well, like they say, 'Water under the bridge' and I forgive you. We can be friends like always for the sake of the little guy."

He swiped his hands down his face. "That's not what I want."

I changed the subject. "I'll call the hospital today and ask them what the procedure is to get your baby released to you and the other one adopted."

I rolled over and got out of bed and stood with my back to him.

"Babe..?"

"Don't... All that bad did happen and every time I look at your baby, I'll remember the other and I just..can't. You were very clear about your life, Ranger. Please tell Ella that I appreciate that she would take on such a responsibility." I walked to the bathroom and shut the door and turned and sank down on the side of the tub and put my head in my hands and the dam burst. The tears I cried were for all of us.

That night I woke up from this nightmare gasping except there was a real hand at my throat with claws squeezing me. I looked into the most horrible face with red eyes and jagged teeth and that tongue and it hissed, "I told you that I cannot be killed. You _**will**_ go to him and tell him that you want him and both children. You_** will**_ never leave my son or **_he_** and the **_other_** one will perish. My son has a destiny to fulfill and you as his mother and the mercenary will protect him and see it through."

Three months later, I was standing at the altar in a big church filled with people that didn't really care about me and I didn't much know or care about them. Ranger had gone to talk to my parents and he had allowed my mother to plan a ridiculous spectacle and he had paid for it all. He said that he wanted my relationship repaired and he wanted us all to start out happy. I laughed about that happy thing and about Ranger being all about the relationships now.

I had gone to Ranger the very next day after _**the visit**_. I knew who Lucius was. He was Lucifer and I knew who and what his son's purpose was and there wasn't a damned thing I could do about it except protect Ranger and our baby. No one would have ever believed me and this whole thing had already been written and planned a very long time ago. It was pretty much out of my hands.

What tiny bit of rebellious control I would have, I would use. My hands would NEVER touch the child and my mother's lips would NEVER ever touch his tainted skin. I would send him to daycare seven days a week and send him to boarding schools on other continents and I would manipulate Ranger in whatever way possible to keep the son of the devil as far away from us as I could. I would do butt stuff every single night and love it if that's what it took...

Thinking about the present, I looked up at Ranger and he was reciting vows that we had pre-arranged. I was outside myself as I remembered his original words of non-commitment and they kept reverberating through my head and then the words of the devil and his threat. Then I looked over at the women who were holding the babies. Ella was holding Ben. Short for Bendito, the blessed one. Helen was holding the other and smiling down at it. Malvi or Malvado was the boy's name, meaning evil. I insisted on the name and refused to let Ranger give him his surname to his and Ella's chagrin. Malvado Manoso sounded tough and scary. Malvado Plum just sounded silly. Plum, it would be. Let's just say that the devil made me do it. Hehe.

I heard Ranger's voice and turned. "Babe, your vows?"

"Yeah, whatever... I'll do it." I reached up and scratched my stupid head and just pulled the damn itchy veil off and tossed it. I heard chuckles and I think my mother gasped.

Ranger's eyebrows furrowed. "Babe..? Is something wrong?"

I mumbled, "Nope. Carry on, dude. I'm just going with the flow."

He turned and looked at Mooner and Dougie. "Babe, are you under the influence?"

I snorted. Yep, under the devil's influence. I can't believe that I fought like the devil himself NOT to be in this place and here I am being the 'Burg'. I'm gonna' be a mother and a wife and I'm going to learn recipes. I snickered to myself. Yeah, I'll be learning recipes alright, for bombs and special bullets. I'll be seeing that devil fucker one day again and I'll be ready...

You bet I will. I'm going to finally do what Ranger always wanted me to do. I'm going to train for battle. Because there was a storm to come, a great battle and I would be ready to protect what was mine. One child was evil and one was light and conceived in love and I couldn't help but want to believe that there was a reason for that. Ben was sweet and gentle and such a good baby, almost angelic. I would make sure that my son was ready when the time came as well. His father would help me to train him.

Thinking about the place where I was standing, I might need the 'big guy in the sky's' help one day so I thought maybe I should show him a little respect. I said a quick prayer of thanks for Ranger and Ben and I turned to Ranger and said, "Wait. I take back the other vows. I want to say that I love you and always have and I'm glad to be here with you. And, thank you for Ben. Is that better?"

He chuckled. "Yes, Babe. Much. I love you and Ben too."

My mind wandered again and I turned from him. I had bumbled into something that was worse than any previous kidnapping, fire or car explosion could ever be. Then suddenly I remembered something and looked at Helen and started laughing hysterically. Helen had sold her soul to the devil and she was holding his son. He would be collecting today… Hmmm, maybe I could catch him when he came calling. He didn't say I couldn't mess with him. I wonder how many ways I can kill the devil? What were the ingredients for that bomb recipe again?

"Babe..?"

THE END

Told you it was an unusual HEA. Poor Ranger, Ay? In the end, the whole thing made Steph a little crazy. Who wouldn't be knowing they helped to spawn the anti-christ, right? In the movie, I seem to remember that the coven told Rosemary that the baby died at birth. Rosemary hears a baby crying in the building and hunts for him and finds him. I think he had red eyes too and when she holds him she accepts him. I couldn't see Steph doing that knowing more about what he was than Rosemary had. That's why I wrote that Steph would never touch him again.


End file.
